All photographs on this website are shown by courtesy of Lachlan Fraser

SAVE THE VALE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

 FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2012 ARTHUR MORISON MEMORIAL HALL CUCKLINGTON

 AGENDA:

1. APOLOGIES

 2. RESIGNATIONS

 3. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING HELD ON 11TH FEBRUARY 2011

 4. MATTERS ARISING

 5. OFFICERS’ REPORTS: Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary

 6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

 7. SMALLER WIND TURBINES – Any Action ?

 8. COMMUNICATIONS – Register of Members’ e-mail addresses

 9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 10. MOTION FOR SAVE THE VALE ASSOCIATION TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT RURAL ENGLAND. (PTO)

 11. SPEAKER: Richard Nicholls - Chairman of Dorset CPRE who will cover the work of the organisation in Dorset.

 A FINGER FOOD SUPPER AND CASH BAR IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND GUESTS (Membership application forms and standing order forms are available on- line and from Dee.) /SEE OVER

SAVE THE VALE ASSOCIATION AND CPRE

It is proposed that STVA becomes an ‘Organisation Member’ of CPRE. As our areas of interest expand and in order to protect the interests of our members, the Association needs the opportunity to tap into other areas of expertise. CPRE committee members have specialist knowledge of such disciplines as Architecture, Minerals Extraction, Civil Engineering and many others. The Director, Trevor Bevins, has wide experience in Media and Communications.

Dorset CPRE were at the forefront of the campaign to challenge the Dorset Renewable Energy Strategy, they have been very active in the Gypsy and Traveller site debate and their President, Terry Stewart, has fought a tireless campaign against inappropriately sited wind turbines and plans to build on greenfield sites.

At a National level, Shaun Spiers, ex MEP, the Chief Executive has been closely involved with Government on the National Planning Policy Framework and of course Bill Bryson, President, is a well known and outspoken campaigner for the protection of our Countryside. Sadly, this is his last year in the post.

There is also an active North Dorset Branch. At the AGM at Clayesmore School on 3rd April the speaker will be John Constable from the Renewable Energy Foundation. Visitors are welcome, let Dee know if you are interested in attending.

We hope that our members will see the benefit of a small organisation like ours having access to greater resources to use on behalf of all members on both sides of the county border. Many Parish Councils are members in order to utilise the information available from the organisation. The cost would be £34 pa.

Dee Worlock
Secretary STVA

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The Save the Vale Association is a group of mainly local residents concerned to preserve the nature of the Blackmore Vale. We are not against all development - clearly the country must change to reflect the changing nature of society. But we believe that any development should be in sympathy with the area, and there have been several inappropriate planning applications which we have opposed.

The Association was set up in 2002 to oppose an application by Ecotricity for two 120m high wind turbines in Cucklington. This was turned down by South Somerset District Council. Ecotricity has since put in two further planning applications, first for six turbines near Silton and then for four on the same site. Both have been unanimously rejected by North Dorset District Council Development Control Committee, but the developer has the right to appeal this decision, and we are currently waiting to see if he does so. A separate action group, Save our Silton, was set up specifically to oppose these applications, which are outside the Blackmore Vale, but we are supporting their case. Turbines of the size proposed would be totally out of scale and character for this tranquil, rural site, which supports a number of tourist businesses.

We are always pleased to have new members who share our concern. If you are interested in joining, the rules of the Association and an application form are shown on the next page.

Stoke Trister in the Blackmore Vale 

We are currently engaged on a number of issues:

• Opposition to the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Renewable Energy Strategy paper. Dorset County Council is currently processing a document setting out the way in which it could 'do its bit' to meet the UK's binding but unrealistic obligation on renewable energy. It considers a number of scenarios, the median of which envisages 180 Wind Turbines in the area. Although the County Council claims that this is by no means a binding strategy, we are greatly concerned that, if the paper is accepted as a working document by the Councils, it will inevitably influence planning officers in future decisions. The process so far has been conducted with very little public participation, and with no press coverage. We aim to change both of these. The consultation period is open until the end of September, and we are urging members and anyone interested in 'saving the Vale' to write to Dorset County Council.

Read an excellent article by Simon Jenkins on the 'localism bill' - go to the 'news' page.

There is also a link there to the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Renewable Energy Strategy paper, which the Council now tells us isn't really a strategy! What is it then?

There is also a copy of a letter sent by StV to Dorset County Council.

• Assisting the Save Our Silton organisation, set up specifically to oppose an application for four 120m high wind turbines near Silton, in a gloriously rural and peaceful area where tourism and agriculture are the main occupations. The first of these would certainly be devastated if the application goes ahead. It has twice been refused, unanimously, by North Dorset District Council, but the developer, Ecotricity, is now considering whether to appeal to a Government inspector. Note that, had the application been accepted by the Council, SOS would NOT have had a right of appeal! For further details on this, see the Save Our Silton website (www.saveoursilton.org)
• Helping to oppose an application for a fish farm in a totally unsuitable field between Wincanton and Buckhorn Weston. As the area has no running water and is in an area subject to frequent flooding, we believe that this is not a serious application, but is a cover for other intentions. A STOP ORDER is currently in force.

A peaceful footpath deep in the Vale

A typical scene in Hardy country